Every spring for the past 40 years Arts Huntsville has thrown a big art and music festival in Big Spring Park in downtown Huntsville, Alabama. Hobbled by the Pandemic for the past couple of years, this year's party was truly a coming-out moment for the 3-day event, with record-breaking crowds strolling among the 100+ vendor booths and listening to more than 40 bands and musical acts, representing every medium and genre imaginable.
I took in two hot bands last Saturday evening on the back porch stage of the Huntsville Museum of Art.
I took in two hot bands last Saturday evening on the back porch stage of the Huntsville Museum of Art.
Element XI is a local band formed in 2012 by several graduates of the Johnson High School music program, whose director just happened to be standing, but mostly dancing, proudly behind me with one of her other students. To report that the band's unique blend of funk, hip-hop, and soul blew away their audience of family, friends, and many, many others would be an understatement.
Next, was a 10-piece group called The Suffers from Houston, Texas, who played tight, brassy, drum-driven R&B funk that they call Gulf Coast Soul. It's fun, fast, and seductive, especially lead singer Kam Franklin who has a bright future with or without her high-powered band.
And to top off the entire weekend, even though there were a few sprinkles now and then, it never really rained. Which, of course, may be the first time in recent memory when there wasn't the traditional Panoply washout.
Next, was a 10-piece group called The Suffers from Houston, Texas, who played tight, brassy, drum-driven R&B funk that they call Gulf Coast Soul. It's fun, fast, and seductive, especially lead singer Kam Franklin who has a bright future with or without her high-powered band.
And to top off the entire weekend, even though there were a few sprinkles now and then, it never really rained. Which, of course, may be the first time in recent memory when there wasn't the traditional Panoply washout.
RSS Feed
